Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling
by Ink Mage
Summary: I suppose this is an AU. Mystique is captured by the Government after rescuing Magneto, and he turns to the X-Men for help. Set in the same verse as X-Men: First Class, but during the events of X2. Possible mild Cherik nothing above K rating . Abandoned
1. Chapter 1

_A.N. Hey, guys! Thanks for all of your wonderful reviews. It heartens me to know that people are reading and enjoying my stories. So, I'm going to make an attempt at my own multi-chapter fic (And no, I don't count my two-shot as a multi-chapter fic.) for everyone who doesn't actually read the A.N.s __**THIS PART IS IMPORTANT!**_ _This is set at the beginning of X2, but it's the same universe as First Class. The mansion has not been attacked. Magneto was in prison, but Raven broke him out (as she did in the movie), and got captured. The title is from 'High Noon', an old black-and-white movie. I don't know if this will turn into a Cherik story—I'll write it as the story unfolds. So read, enjoy, and send me any opinions you might have. Thanks!_

The night was still and silent, with an underlying current of heat and energy that spoke of the coming summer. For once, the mansion was quiet, the children asleep in their beds—or for the insomniacs, reading quietly in the library. Charles wheeled himself onto the balcony, a small glass of brandy in his hand. He rarely allowed himself to indulge in alcohol these days, but tonight he felt like he had earned it. The day had been a good one. The classes were going well. Rogue had settled into the school easily with the help of Bobby, although she would often clutch at the dog tags in her hand and stare out the driveway, waiting for Logan. Kitty, the girl who was able to walk through walls had made a breakthrough in her training, learning to walk through water without so much as rippling it. Yes, all seemed good, and yet…

Charles stared out into the well-tended grounds of the mansion that he and dozens of other mutants called home. This had been his dream for so long. His… and Erik's. As usual, the thought of Erik filled Charles with a strange melancholy. Erik had been as close as any brother for a time. They had shared thoughts, dreams and ambitions over an endless series of chess games. They had dreamed of this school together, imagining it as the one place where mutant children would always be safe. They had shared their stories of the day's adventures with each other, sharing their joys and grievances. Now Charles shared those moments with himself. Granted, he could have hunted down Scott or Ororo—both would have been pleased to share their stories of the day with him. But it could never be the same. It was irrational, but Charles feared that sharing the day's adventures in such a manner would somehow taint the few peaceful memories that he had of his time with Erik. Before Shaw, before the Cuban Missile Crisis, before the bullet that had been meant for Erik's head had pierced his spine.

Charles sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the warm breezes… and then snapped to attention as a border alarm rang from the security system. Charles rolled over to the computer monitor. He half expected for the warning to be a false alarm, but the sight of the figure that was stumbling up the driveway instantly killed that suspicion. Charles wheeled himself as fast as he could to the elevator, his heart lodged in his throat. Fear, hope, worry, love… a multitude of emotions were swirling through his mind like a modern art piece—all form and shape and colour, that made less and less sense the longer you stared at it. Charles could hear groaning from some of the bedrooms that he passed on his way to the door, but only Scott actually left his room to find the cause of the commotion. He was wearing a pair of green pajama pant, and he had already swapped his glasses for a visor. "I swear, if this is Logan returning from chasing his past…" Scott let the threat hang. Part of Charles wanted to laugh at the meaningless rivalry that had cropped up between the pair, but the rest of him was already too wound up. All he could do was motion Scott forward, and open the main doors to the house.

A blast of hot air blew in from the yard, coupled with the scent of a hundred types of flower, all growing in the same area. The trees that still remained after countless outdoor gym classes in a school of mutants stood over the concrete drive like retired soldiers—worn, battered and scarred, but still strong. A figure was standing in the shade of one of the trees. He wore a pair of patent leather shoes, a pair of black pants and a white dress shirt. A black trench coat hung artfully around his thin body. A trebly cap was pulled down low over silver locks, and yet, it was impossible to mistake the figure for anyone but Erik Lehnsherr—Magneto. He was trembling violently, despite the warm spring air, and Charles knew that he was on his last leg. Some part of his mind registered Scott's gasp of shock, then his cautious movements forward, as if he feared to touch the man who had caused him so much pain. But the rest of Charles wondered what on earth had drawn Erik here, of all places. Why return in this state to the headquarters of his enemies? Erik looked up, his face tight with pain, fear and exhaustion. "Charles," he gasped. Part of Charles wanted to cover his ears, instinctively knowing that the news that Erik had come to share would be bad. And yet he listened. "Charles, they have Mystique. She got me out of prison, but they caught her!" Charles felt his heart wrench. _Raven… _The prone form of Magneto shuddered once, and then collapsed. Scott caught him instinctively, then almost seemed to puzzle over the fact that he was holding the still form of his arch-nemesis. And in less than 5 minutes, Charles found himself with a dilemma… and his peaceful night had been ruined.


	2. Chapter 2

_A.N. Hey guys! So this chapter is a bit of a filler chapter. Not much happens, but it introduces some themes, and it's needed to tie in the last chapter to the next one. So enjoy, and please review!_

Charles sat at the bedside of his old friend, quietly contemplating the sudden change in his life. Erik's return had been… unexpected, to say the least. When he had collapsed, Scott had taken him down to the medical bay, and woken Jean. She had diagnosed him with dehydration and simple exhaustion. "An IV line and a good night's rest, and he'll be just fine," she had assured Charles. Scott hadn't said anything, but his face showed his uncertainty about whether Magneto being_ just fine_ was actually a good thing. He wasn't the only one expressing his fear in such a manner. No one actually said anything to the Professor. They all could see that Erik's return was important to him for some reason—though he hadn't told anyone about their convoluted history together. However, there was always someone in the hall or in the medical bay, who had found something that needed to be done that instant. If it wasn't Ororo taking inventory of medicines for Jean, it was Bobby scrubbing the hall as a punishment that Charles was _certain_ he had never been given. Kitty Pryde was possibly the most refreshing watcher, primarily because she admitted, "Jean told me to watch in case Magneto woke up." She had then flipped on her headphones and listened to her music for the 30 minute shift.

There had been a few notable people missing from guard duty. Peter, a new recruit from Russia with the power to turn his skin into steel, was exempt. This was probably because even though the boy was built like a tank, he did have the instinctive reaction of powering up under stress. Logan was missing, which made sense. After all, while Peter could power down, Logan didn't have that luxury. His metal-covered skeleton, while useful, made him a liability against Magneto. The only person who didn't have a power-based reason to avoid Magneto was Rogue. However, it was understandable. Charles knew his old friend well—perhaps better then he knew himself—and he still couldn't understand what had been going through Erik's mind on Liberty Island. Charles accepted that three and a half decades had passed since he had shared his every day with Erik. Still, could his old friend have changed so drastically that he would be willing to sacrifice a child to make a play in his war?

Charles pushed his introspective thoughts off to one side for a moment. Erik was breathing heavier in his sleep, his eyes flickering madly under their eyelids. His body remained perfectly still. The only movement was the steady rise and fall of his chest, the flickering eyes and an occasional whimper. Charles recognized the signs of a man trapped in REM sleep, and from the sound of things, dreaming an unpleasant dream. Jean, who had insisted that now was the perfect time to run a systems check on the MRI machine, came over to check on him. Before she could reach him, Erik startled awake. His eyes flickered from side to side, searching for the threat that had been pursuing him in his dreams. Both Jean and Charles instantly froze, making sure not to draw the attention of the volatile mutant. Only when Erik slumped slightly did Charles move forward. "Erik," he called softly, trying not to startle his old friend. Erik focused on him weakly, clearly still tired from whatever had landed him in the medical bay. "Charles," he croaked, "how long have I been out?" Charles looked at the clock, mentally calculating. "About six hours," he finally replied. "It's early evening." Erik made an obvious effort to rise, but Charles laid a hand on his shoulder. "Rest, my old friend," he said softly. "We will speak of what brought you here tomorrow." Erik's eyes drooped shut. Within moments, he was asleep again, and Charles was continuing his silent vigil.


	3. Chapter 3

_A.N. Hey, guys. Life's been busy lately—I finished school for the year, took and passed my driver's test and started a new job. However, after horse-riding today—where I confirmed the existence of gravity—I am bruised, grazed and have nothing to do but write and eat comfort food. So read and review. I own nothing but the plot._

"I don't remember much," Erik confessed. After a long night's sleep, he was again conscious. He was sitting in his bed, leaning back against the wall as if it was the only think keeping him in an upward position. Charles sat by his bedside in his wheelchair, as he had been since his old friend had arrived at the mansion's door. Several of the X-Men had entered the room to hear the statement. Scott was leaning against the doorframe, his ruby glasses hiding his eyes. He seemed to be the benevolent leader, but Charles could feel the emotions churning in his mind, as he tried to hide his mistrust. Jean was fiddling with the medical equipment, keeping her hands busy to stop herself from… well, Jean couldn't decide what to do with Magneto. There was only one person in the room who was making her mistrust known. Storm sat on the windowsill, and she hadn't stopped glowering at Magneto since she had entered the room.

"I was in the plastic prison," Erik continued, and Charles forced himself to focus. "I knew that my rescue would come soon. Mystique brought my salvation. She impersonated a guard, stole his I.D. I believe that she was planning on convincing them that I was being taken to be 'questioned.' However, Mystique's haste to rescue me proved her downfall."

_Magneto felt like laughing. Instead, he schooled his face into an impenetrable mask that had served him through countless interrogations, both recent and long-gone. It hadn't taken much to let him know of Mystique's plan. A brief flicker of gold in the security guard's eyes, and he had been escorted—seemingly reluctantly—out of his cell. The hallway stretched out in front of him, and Magneto could almost taste his freedom. Another guard approached him from the other direction of the corridor, and Magneto played up his part of the stoic prisoner. "Hey, Johnston," the guard called to Mystique, "You looking forward to the football party on Saturday?" Mystique grinned in response. "Yeah. Go Ole Miss!" Instantly, the other guard grabbed his radio, and called headquarters. "Code red! Code red! We have an escaping prisoner, accompanied by a potential shape shifter!" Mystique shifted back—obviously there was no point in keeping up presentences. "What gave me away?" she asked. The guard laughed. "One: Johnston follows the California Golden Bears in the Pac 10 Leagues. He hates Ole Miss. And second, he isn't coming to the party tomorrow, because he's going to propose to his girlfriend." The guard pulled out a stun gun. Magneto cursed. Plastic. The guard pointed it at Magneto, but Mystique lunged to block it. "RUN!" she screamed, as the thin cords spun from the tazer and attached to her skin. Magneto bolted, dashing for the exit. His last sight of his faithful companion was her still form being surrounded by the security guards._

"I ran," Erik admitted. "I have no idea for how long. I tried to avoid all people. I had no clue who to trust. I'm a wanted fugitive, after all." Storm snorted. "And of all the places in the world, you came here?" It was clear that she didn't believe a word of it. Erik fixed her with a baleful stare. "It may shock you to hear this," he said icily, "but I have every right to be here… perhaps more right than some."

Charles found himself being faced with four sets of enquiring eyes. Part of him wanted to hate Erik, to throw him out of the mansion and forget that he had ever been there. But another part of him… well, it still remembered the long nights playing chess in the library. The evenings when they would debate over the future of mankind, while the other children watched television. The cups of tea as they read their books, side by side. Charles couldn't turn the man away, not after he had become as close as a brother to him. "Alright," Charles sighed, trying to ignore the glares of his three students. "you can stay, and I'll help you plan to rescue Raven." Erik looked like he was going to protest the use of Mystique's real name, but a glare from Charles forced him into silence. "You will not approach any of the students here. You will not enter any areas besides those which I specifically tell you to enter. You will not invite any other mutants here. You will have at least one guard at all times. And—this is most important, Erik—" another almost protest, another glare—"you will not wear that helmet. I will not have you blocking your mind and putting my students at risk." Erik struggled to comply, but his hands went up to his head, and he removed the helmet. Charles fought the urge to sigh in relief as the connection that had been hanging open for decades finally found the other half. Instead he nodded. "I'll send up a meal, and we'll start planning the rescue attempt." Erik nodded. As he left the room, Charles found himself on the receiving end of three dirty looks. He motioned the group to a small room nearby, and prepared to defend himself to his X-Men.


	4. Chapter 4

_A.N. Hey guys! I know it's been a while since I updated, but my plot bunny is running away. How is it that I have so many ideas for multi chapter fics, but I struggle with execution? However, I have officially received 25 reviews for my fics collectively, so I thought it was a good time to update. Anyways, here's the next chapter! Please review!_

The instant the door closed, Scott grabbed hold of Charles' wheelchair and began to push him to a nearby science lab—the one for the biology experiments that were either too gross or too dangerous to have above ground. For once, Charles didn't object to being pushed towards his destination. He could, of course, stop Scott from moving. He could make them forget about Erik and the fact he was in the medical lab. He could even make them believe that Erik was a friend. But Charles knew that he wouldn't. He respected his students too much to avoid these problems, even if it meant that the X-Men would be sending him smoldering glares at him for the foreseeable future.

The door to the lab slides shut, and Storm instantly swung to face her mentor. "Charles, you can't be serious!" Her voice snapped with the tension, and her mind was broadcasting her rage, fear helplessness… "That man in there kidnapped Rogue. He tried to turn the world leaders into mutants—which only made our situation worse. He can manipulate two of our strongest hitters, plus send another into a possible nervous breakdown with just a look—_and you want to keep him in the mansion?"_ Charles winced at the volume of the last part of the sentence, but he knew that most of the X-Men would feel the same way. However, before he could defend himself, Jean spoke up. "What did he mean by 'I have every right to be here… perhaps more right than some'?" Her voice sounded afraid, almost as if she didn't want to know the answer… but she needed to. They all needed to.

"I'm going to have to ask you two things," Charles began. "One: don't interrupt me. If you have questions at the end, I'll answer them. And two: share the information I'm giving with Logan and Rogue, but no one else. I will not betray Erik's confidence any further than I have to." The three X-Men nodded, though Scott looked puzzled at who Erik might be. Charles leant back in his wheelchair and told the story:

"The year was 1962. I had just finished my graduate degree in genetic mutation, and had delivered a thesis on the possibility of evolution genetics leading to a new species of humanity in the future—mutants as we are now called. I was approached after the lecture by a federal agent who asked me if I thought that this new species could already exist. When I probed her mind, I saw images of a woman turning to diamond, a man with the look of the devil, a second man who could create whirlwinds… These men were serving a mutant by the name of Sebastian Shaw. He was the first mutant supremacist. His powers allowed him to absorb energy and turn it into a weapon. He was planning on starting an nuclear war to wipe out humanity, forgetting that he would be the only survivor."

"My first encounter with him took place a few days later. I had been asked to accompany a CIA team in the Pacific Ocean to try and stop him before he became a threat. It… didn't go well. We were only just able to demand that they stop, when I found myself in a battle of wills with another telepath. She was much better trained then me. She was about to destroy my mind when… she lost concentration. I turned to look, and watched their ship's anchor go sailing through the boat. They were proceeding to escape in a submarine, but it was having trouble moving. I looked, and I saw a young man—a mutant—in the water. He was trying to stop the submarine from moving, but the effort was killing him. I dove in, and I stopped him. On some level he hated that I had stopped him from his revenge, but on some level he was grateful. He introduced himself to me as Erik Lenshirr, but you know him as Magneto."

For a moment, it looked like Jean and Storm were going to interrupt. Scott shook his head at them, but Charles could read the questions in his eyes. He continued with his tale. "Erik was born in Poland in 1926. His family were Jewish, and when Hitler invaded, they were packed off to the concentration camps. One of the Nazis there—a certain Herr Schmidt—recognized that Erik was a mutant. He wanted to harness Erik's power. He gave Erik a choice—Erik would move a coin or he would kill Erik's mother. Erik's powers were still developing. He couldn't move the coin, so Schmidt killed his mother right in front of him. Erik then spent the next 5 years being tortured to help… access his powers. When we met Erik, he had learned that Schmitt and Shaw were the same person, and had come to finish off the murderer of his family." Charles couldn't hide the contempt in his voice, and he could see the look of horror on his X-Men's faces.

"It took a lot of convincing, but Erik agreed to help us stop Shaw. Together we assembled a team of mutants to stop him. The team consisted of Sean , who can scream at sonic pitches; Scott's brother Alex, who can send plasma bolts out of his chest; Hank McCoy, who's now the Mutant Liaison in the British Parliament, and Raven, also known as Mystique." Another move to interrupt, another pre-emptive shake from Scott. "We trained together for months, improving our powers, developing teamwork. We were as much of a family as you are now. We… acquired information stating that Shaw was going to strike in Cuba, on October the 25th. We were there to stop him. We took down his team, but Erik… well, his defeat wasn't enough. Erik pursued Shaw in order to kill him, and I… I held Shaw still while Erik did."

"Erik came out, covered in blood and wearing the helmet he still wears today—Shaw created it to stop his telepath from controlling him. On the ships, there was some discontent—they saw us use our powers. All of the battleships from America and the USSR fired their missiles at us. Erik stopped them, and then turned them to send them back. He saw the Nazis in them… men willing to slaughter innocent children and then claim they were only under orders. But Erik's plan was stopped. There was a CIA agent with us—Moria McTarget. She shot at Erik, and he deflected the bullets. But one of the bullets went into my spine. And that was the end. Erik fled, taking Raven and Shaw's people with him. I started the school, and he started trying to build a world where people wouldn't live in fear of persecution. _That's_ why I'm letting him stay. Because no matter what his methods, he was still only trying to protect people like him, and like us. No matter what he's done, Erik is still on some level… _an X-Man_."


	5. Chapter 5

I never figured that I would be writing this. I went into this fanfiction writing experience prepared to finish every story, to get wonderful reviews, and to get practice for writing my own novel. Then it happened:

Reality shot my plot bunny.

I'm so sorry. It's just been a rough year. It's my final year of schooling, my first experience with professional exams, and, to top it off, a friend of mine committed suicide earlier this year. Needless to say, it killed my desire to finish 'Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darling'.

I am still writing, although it's mostly one-shots. I also have started another long series (that I intend to finish before I post it on ). And I may consider doing a rewrite of this fanfiction. But, sadly, this plot bunny is dead, and others have been born. I promise that this will never happen again.

Ink Mage


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